Donetsk rebels await government assault

Euronews

Pro-Russian separatists continue to reinforce their defences in Donetsk in anticipation of an attack from Ukrainian government troops.

An uneasy calm returned to the city’s streets on Wednesday following the week’s earlier bloody battle for the airport.

“I’m afraid of everything that’s happening. I have survived one war already. That was enough for me,” said one elderly women.

Reporting from the city euronews’ Sergio Cantone said: ‘‘At the second barricade where we could stand a few days ago we can no longer film. The separatists point their Kalashnivkovs to intimidate the cameramen and photo journalists. This city is in a state of siege. The separatists in favour of a Republic of Donetsk are especially nervous.’‘

Earlier, around 1000 miners marched through the eastern city demanding Ukrainian forces leave the region after the deaths of dozens of rebel fighters on Monday and Tuesday.

‘‘This protest is against the so called anti-terrorist operation. In fact, its an anti-people operation which kills people. Civilians are suffering. There are no separatists here only the people of Donbass,’‘ one protesting miner said.

The rebel authorities in Donetsk, which have declared the city separate from the rest of Ukraine, say as many as 50 of their men died in the battle to hold the airport.